Lifting device



Nov. 21, 1967 s. MARCYAN 3,353,837

LIFT DEVICE Filed March 8, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l '5%0/7/.32/ /l//arc 0/7,

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LIFT DEVICE Nov. 21, 1967 Filed March 8, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 72 75 a/V] Maf/'Lyon INVENTOR. Z 5^' 5' wHN/va McMANwAL United States Patent Oiifce 3,353,837 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 3,353,837 LIFTING DEVICE Stanley Marcyan, Warren, Mich., assignor to Walter Marcyan Filed Mar. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 532,692 4 Claims. (Cl. 280-43.13)

ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A lifting device for raising and lowering a platform base of generally hexagonal skeletal configuration having a lifting jack mounted thereon at one side with a raising and lowering part which is connected to one end of a first bar structure extending to an opposite side of the platform, where spaced apart bifurcate ends of the bar structure are pivoted to the platform. A second bar structure is provided and comprises a pair of members having outer ends spaced on opposite sides of the lifting jack and pivoted to the platform, the pair of members converging inwardly from their pivots to position their other ends at a substantially mid-point of the rst bar structure, and form a V with the first bar structure spaced therebetween, an interconnection being provided at the mid-point of the first bar structure with the converged ends of the second bar structure so that `the bar structures will be similarly pivoted in response to operation of the lifting jack and provide raising and lowering movements to disengage and engage downwardly extending casters adjacent the pivots of the lirst and second bar structures with an underlying surface to eifect lowering and raising movements of the platform base.

Additional bar structures may be similarly pivoted at the outer periphery of the platform base, the inner ends of these additional structures being connected with the mid-point inner connection for simultaneous operation of all the bar structures and their casters.

The invention relates to a lifting device for a platform base, and more particularly, to a device for lifting a bottom plane surface of a base off of a normal supporting surface so that the base may bev supported on casters connected thereto.

- An object of the present invention is to provide an improved lifting device. p

Another object of the present invention isjto provide a lifting device for raising a planebottom surface of a platform base and at the same time for actuating casters on the base so that it will be supported for movement on the casters.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a lifting device for a platform base, having three or more peripheral sides with a hydraulic cylinder or a jack supported on the base.

It is a further object of the present invention toprovide a lifting device for a relatively heavy structure, normally immobile, and which may be lifted by the device so as to be supported by casters on the structure so that it becomes mobile. y

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be brought out in the following part of the specification wherein small details have been described for the competence of disclosure, without intending to limit the scope of the invention which is set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a platform base, having the structure supported thereby shown only fragmentarily, and illustrating a lifting device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the platform base shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view, partially in cross section, taken as indicated by the line 3-3 in FIG. 2, with the base supported on its plane bottom surface;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, partially in cross section, taken as indicated by the line 4-4 in FIG. 1, and illustrating the device lifted so as to be supported on its casters; and t FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, taken as indicated by the line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

Referring again to the drawings, there is shown a platform base, generally designated as 10, in the form of a regular hexagon having peripheral members or portions 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the peripheral portions is formed of a downwardly facing channel member having its bottom edges, as 19 and 26, of the legs of the channels in the same plane so as to support the platform base on a plane supporting surface, indicated as 23. Additional supporting members in the base are provided by inverted channels 24, extending between and secured to peripheral portions 12 and 15, and 25, extending between and secured to peripheral portions 12 and 16. Extending upwardly from the base 10, at the corners of the hexagon, are fragmentarily shown stanchions, such as 27 and 28, normally adapted to support thestructure above the base, but not shown.

Extending between the peripheral channel 11 of the base and the interior support member 25, and secured to each, is a short inverted channel member 29, providing a support for a hydraulic jack 30. The jack is supported by two inverted, spaced L-shaped members 31 and 32, welded at their lower ends to the top of the channel member 29. Between their short legs 35 and 36 extends sleeve 37 supported by a bolt 38.

The jack lifting head 41, shown in FIG. l, is Welded to the sleeve 37 so as to pivotally support the jack, and extending downwardly from the head is a threaded adjusting bolt 42, engaged in the female jack member 43. The body part of the jack hangs from the member 43 and the lower end 44 hangs free so as to be pivotal and vertically movable with respect to the bolt 38. Thus, when the jack handle 47 is actuated, the members 41, 42 and 43, which would be normally raised or lowered, remain stationary and instead, the jack body and the free lower end are raised or lowered, according to the setting of j the jack, with respect to the base 10.

The lower end of the jack has a pair of spaced ears extending downwardly, and extending through them is a bar 50, pivotally connected thereto by means of a bolt 49. The end 53 of the bar 50 terminates adjacent the p jack. The bar is formed of two members 54 and 55, welded together and extending substantially across the face to a position beyond midpoint where there is a bifurcation, forming members 54a and 55a. Welded to the members 54a and 55a are flat bar portions 56 and 57, respectively.

l The portions 56 and 57 of the bar 50 are pivotally conl 65, spaced above the members 54 and S5 of the bar 50,

and transverse thereto. As may be seen in FIG. 5, a spacing block 67 is secured to the underside of the plate 65 and to the top surfaces of the members 54 and 55. Spaced transversely outwardly on opposite sides of the bar mem` bers 55, 54, respectively, are bar portions 68 and 69 which form a part of two bar means, generally ,designated as 75 and 76, respectively, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The bar means 75 and 76 together substantially form an equivalent of the bar 50. The ends of the portions 68 and 69 are under the plate 65 and welded to the underfaces of the portions 68 and 69 are lugs 7 0 and 71, respectively. Spaced between the lugs is a roller 72 mounted on a sleeve 73, both of which are supported in the lugs by means of a bolt 74.*The weight of the bar 50 causes the bar members 55 and 54 thereof to be in contact on their undersides with the roller 72. l

At the outer transverse ends of the plate 65 are rectangular ears 79 and 80, each having a rectangular opening 8'1 and 82, respectively. Extending into the opening 81 is a bar, generally designated as 83, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, having its inner end terminating under the plate 65. At the opposite end of the plate 65 inthe opening 82 extends a second bar, generally designated as 84, and having its inner end terminating under the plate 65. Both of the latter ends of the bars 83 and 84 Vterminate outwardly of the bar portions 68 and 69. The bars 83 and 84 extend transversely with respect to the bars 50, 75 and 76 and are in longitudinal and horizontal alignment. At the outer end of the bar 83, there is a plate 85, pivotally supported on the peripheral portions 12 and 13 by means of ears'` 86 and 87, having a bolt 89 extending through a hinge 90 on the plate 85. A swivel caster 88 is mounted to extend downwardly from the underface of the plate 85. The bar 84 has a plate 91 at its outer end which is pivotally supported on the peripheral portions 15 and 16 by ears 92 and 93, a` bolt 94 extending through the ears and through a' hinge 95 on the plate 91. Extending downwardly from the underside of the plate 91 is a swivel caster 96.

Joining the bar portions 68 and 69 at an angle are portions 97 and 98, respectively, having their outer ends secured to plates 100 and 101 and extending downwardly from the undersides of the plates 100 and 101 are swivel casters 102 and 103, respectively. The plates 100 and I`I are pivotally mounted at 106 and 107,` respectively, in the same manner as the plates 85, 91, 56 and 57. The plates 102 and 103 are in substantial horizontal and longitudinal alignment with the plates 57 and 56, respectively.

As may be seen in FIG. 3, when the platform base is supported on the supporting surface 23 by' means' of the inverted channel members, such as 11 and 14 at their bottom surfaces 19 and 20, the casters such as 61 and 103 may touch the surface 23 but do not support the base. In order to raise the base so that` it is supported on the six casters and may be' easily moved upon them, the jack handle is moved downwardly and upwardly so as to lower the free end 44 of the jack with respect tothe remainder thereof and the base. When the' end 44^ is lowered, th'e end 53 of the bar 50 is likewise lowered andthe latter har isV pivoted at 59 and 60 sok as to cause the casters 61 and' 6,2' to` be effectively lowered info supporting contacts with the surface 23, or stated differently, s'o as to' raisel -th'e peripheral portion 14, for example. Simultaneousl'y, a's may be best seen in FIG. 5j, the bar, lowers" the' plate 65 and they roller 72. When the roller 72 is forced downwardly, the bar portions 6 8 and 69' areals'o lowered so as fo cause rhebars' 75 and 76- to be' pivo'fed at 106 and 107 whereby' tire casters' 1'02 and 103, as may' Be seen in FIG. 4, make supporting contact withth'e surfaee 23' and thereby raise the peripheral portion 11. Similarly, the lowering of the plate 65 lowers the" inner ends of the bca-rs 83v and 84V so as to pivot them' on the bolts 89 an'd 94, respectively, to cause the casters 88 and 96 to be moved downwardly into base supporting contact with the surface 23. Thus, the actuation of the jack lowers all of the casters and raises the base 10". As maybe seen in the drawings, the actual amount of lowering of the various ba'rs andthe casters thereon may be only a short distance, such as 1j/s of an inch'. When it is d'e'sired to lower the base andl to' raise the. casters, the jack setting is reversed and the handle 47 is actuatedto raise the lower end vof the jack and thereby pivot the bar 5t) upwardly. The raising of the bar 5t) also raises the plate 65 and the inner end of the bars 83 and 84. When the bar 50 is raised, the bar members 54 and 55, as shown in FIG. 5, tend to move away from the roller 72 and the weight of the base causes the bar portions 68 and 69 and the roller to be raised so that the roller again makes contact with the undersides of the ba-r portions 54 and 55. During this movement, the bars 75 and 76 are pivoted upwardly, and their casters are moved out of supporting contact with the surface 23 in the same manner as are the other four casters.

The invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof or sacrificing its material advantages, the arrangement hereinbefore described being merely by way of example. I do not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned except as defined in the accompanying claims, wherein various portions have been separated for clarity of reading and not for emphasis.

I claim:

1. In a lifting device Ifor raising and lowering a platform base:

(a) a base normally supported on a -base supporting surface thereunder;

(b) jack lifting means supported on said base' and having apa-rt which can 4be raised and lowered relative to said base;

(c) first bar means having one end adjacent and connecte-d to said part of said lifting means,

(d) said first bar means extending across said base and being terminated from an intermediate point into bifurcate'd ends pivotally connected by first pivot means to said Ibase at a first peripheral portion thereof relatively remote from said lifting means;

(e) first casters respectively extending downwardly from said bifurcated ends adjacent said first pivot means and adapted to make base supporting contact with said base supporting surface when the lifting means moves the first bar means downwardly a' 4predetermined amount;

(f) second bar means formed of two spaced members having end portions terminating adjacent to and spaced apart to be in alignment with the bifurcated ends of said first -bar means, said end portions of the' second ba-r means being pivotally connected by second pivot means to a second peripheral portion of said base, said base portion also forming the' base support for said jack lifting means and being relatively opposite to said first peripheral portion, said end portions converging inwardly towards each other so that the respective end portionsv at said intermediate point form an approximate V having said first bar means spaced therebetween; l

(g.) means at said intermediate point cooperatively associatingsaid first bar means and the adjacent eo'nver-ging end portions of said second bar means to'y cause saidsecond bar means to move downwardly a predetermined amount corresponding' tothe down-' Hwa-rd. movement of the first bar means; and

(h) second casters respectively extending downwardly from said spaced members forming the second bar means adjacent the second pivot means adapted tov make Ibase' supporting contact with said base supporting surface when the lifting means movesthe first bar means downwardly said predetermined amount whereby said ybase is raised off the supporting. snrface and is supported on said casters,

(i) said base being weighted to' cause said base to be' lowered when the lifting means raises the bar m'eans a predetermined amount from their lowered posi;

tion whereby the base makes a supporting contact with the supporting surface. 2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said intermediate means comprises:

thereof relatively remote from said lifting means; (e) first caster means extending downwardly from said first bar means adjacent said first pivot means and adapted to make base supporting contact with said lowered when the lifting means raises the -bar means -a predetermined amount from their lowered position whereby the Ibase makes a supporting contact with the supporting surface;

(a) a transverse member extending across said first bar (j) third and fourth bar means in alignment With each means and being spaced therefrom by a spacer seother and transverse to said first and second .bar cured to said transverse member and said first bar means, means; and (k) each of said third and fourth bar means having (b) means connected to said second .bar means and in respective outer ends oppositely disposed from each contact with a lower base of said first bar means so 10 other and pivotally secured to a peripheral portion of that said downward movement of said first bar means said base, moves said second bar means said predetermined (l) said third and fourth bar means having inner ends amount. extending toward each other but being spaced apart 3. In a lifting device for raising and lowering a platand extending into said intermediate means,

form base: (m) said third and fourth bar means being coopera- (a) a base normally supported on a base supporting tively associated with said intermediate means so surface thereunder; as to be moved downwardly a predetermined amount (b) jack lifting means supported on said base and havcorresponding to the downward movement of the ing a part which can be raised and lowered relative first bar means; and to said base; (n) third and fourth caster means extending down- (c) -first bar means having one end adjacent and conwardly from respective third and fourth bar means nected to said part of said lifting means, adjacent the pivots thereof and adapted to make Ibase (d) said first bar means extending across said base and supporting contact with said base supporting surface being terminated and pivotally connected by first when the lifting means move said -first bar means pivot means to said base at a first peripheral portion downwardly its predetermined amount whereby said base is supported on all of said caster means. 4. The invention according to claim 3 in which said intermediate means comprises:

(a) a transverse member extending across said first base supporting surface when the lifting means moves bar means and being spaced therefrom by a spacer the -iirst bar means downwardly a predetermined secured to said transverse member and said first bar amount; means;

(f) second bar means having an end portion terminat- (b) means on the respective ends of said transverse ing at and being pivotally connected by second pivot member for contacting the respective inner ends o'f means to a second peripheral portion of said base, said third and fourth bar means so that the latter said second peripheral portion forming also the base move downwardly said predetermined amount with support for said jack lifting means and'being relasaid transverse means; and tively positioned opposite to said first peripheral por- (c) niteais cokilineclzted tobsaid sfeconi jar yjneans and in tion; con ac wit a ower ase o sai rstl ar means so (g) means intermediate said first and second pivot 40 that said downward movement of said first bar means means cooperatively associating said first Ibar means moves said second ibar means said predetermined and adjacent other end portion of the second bar amount. means to cause said second bar means to move down- References Cited wardly a predetermined amount corresponding to UNITED STATES PATENTS the downward movement of the first bar means;

mined amount whereby said base is raised off the BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner. C. C. PARSONS, Assistant Examiner.

supporting surface and is supported on said caster means, (i) said Ibase being weighted to cause said base to be 

1. IN A LIFTING DEVICE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING A PLATFORM BASE: (A) A BASE NORMALLY SUPPORTED ON A BASE SUPPORTING SURFACE THEREUNDER; (B) JACK LIFTING MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE AND HAVING A PART WHICH CAN BE RAISED AND LOWERED RELATIVE TO SAID BASE; (C) FIRST BAR MEANS HAVING ONE END ADJACENT AND CONNECTED TO SAID PART OF SAID LIFTING MEANS, (D) SAID FIRST BAR MEANS EXTENDING ACROSS SAID BASE AND BEING TERMINATED FROM AN INTERMEDIATE POINT INTO BIFURCATED END PIVOTALLY CONNECTED BY FIRST PIVOT MEANS TO SAID BASE AT A PERIPHERAL PORTION THEREOF RELATIVELY REMOTE FROM SAID LIFTING MEANS; (E) FIRST CASTERS RESPECTIVELY EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID BIFURCATED ENDS ADJACENT SAID FIRST PIVOT MEANS AND ADAPTED TO MAKE BASE SUPPORTING CONTACT WITH SAID BASE SUPPORTING SURFACE WHEN THE LIFTING MEANS MOVES THE FIRST BAR MEANS DOWNWARDLY A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT; (F) SECOND BAR MEANS FORMED OF TWO SPACED MEMBERS HAVING END PORTIONS TERMINATING ADJACENT TO AND SPACED APART TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE BIFURCATED ENDS OF SAID FIRST BAR MEANS, SAID END PORTIONS OF THE SECOND BAR MEANS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED BY SECON PIVOT MEANS TO A SECOND PERIPHERAL PORTION OF SAID BASE, SAID BASE PORTION ALSO FORMING THE BASE SUPPORT FOR SAID JACK LIFTING MEANS AND BEING RELATIVELY OPPOSITE TO SAID FIRST PERIPHERAL PORTION, SAID END PORTIONS COVERGING INWARDLY TOWARDS EACH OTHER SO THAT THE RESPECTIVE END PORTIONS AT SAID INTERMEDIATE POINT FORM AN APPROXIMATE V HAVING SAID FIRST BAR MEANS SPACED THEREBETWEEN; (G) MEANS AT SAID INTERMEDIATE POINT COOPERATIVELY ASSOCIATING SAID FIRST BAR MEANS AND THE ADJACENT CONVERGING END PORTIONS OF SAID SECOND BAR MEANS TO CAUSE SAID SECOND BAR MEANS TO MOVE DOWNWARDLY A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT CORRESPONDING TO THE DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF THE FIRST BAR MEANS; AND (H) SECOND CASTERS RESPECTIVELY EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID SPACED MEMBERS FORMING THE SECOND BAR MEANS ADJACENT THE SECOND PIVOT MEANS ADAPTED TO MAKE BASE SUPPORTING CONTACT WITH SAID BASE SUPPORTING SURFACE WHEN THE LIFTING MEANS MOVES THE FIRST BAR MEANS DOWNWARDLY SAID PREDETERMINED AMOUNT WHEREBY SAID BASE IS RAISED OFF THE SUPPORTING SURFACE AND IS SUPPORTED ON SAID CASTERS, (I) SAID BASE BEING WEIGHTED TO CAUSE SAID BASE TO BE LOWERED WHEN THE LIFTING MEANS RAISES THE BAR MEANS A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT FROM THEIR LOWERED POSITION WHEREBY THE BASE MAKES A SUPPORTING CONTACT WITH THE SUPPORTING SURFACE. 